It is barely six months after Kenya’s Supreme Court upheld Dr. Ruto’s victory against his main challenger, Mr. Raila Amollo Odinga, as the 5th president, and the country is sadly still in a campaign mood. In a county faced with bigger issues like youth unemployment, climate change, and tough economic times, the citizens deserve better than the usual drama.
From claims of fresh evidence of rigging by the opposition leader to the downsizing of the security detail of the immediate former president and his accusations of sponsoring opposition rallies and failure to pay taxes, less focus is made on the real issues that bedevil Kenyans. It is time the government addressed the real issues affecting its citizens rather than fall into the usual trap of politicking soon after every general election.
The state of politics in Kenya
The opposition leader is at it again with the now familiar, decade-old claims of stolen elections and weekly rallies to air his frustrations. Raila has previously been on good terms with the previous administrations, including the Jubilee administration, through a handshake that benefited him and the Nyanza region through infrastructure development. Is Raila pursuing personal interests with the current government, or is he genuinely interested in the interests of Kenyans? Time will tell.
On the other hand, President Ruto’s government is also engaged in “disguised campaigns” in the name of Thanksgiving, visiting counties left, right, and center. President Ruto and the deputy president should learn that the inaugural Thanksgiving and prayer event at the state house, shortly after their win was upheld, was enough.
So, what is the next step for Kenya?
There should be a focus on governance, as many people hope that Ruto’s government will keep the lofty promises it made to Kenyans. This should also be followed by stopping early campaigns and channelling resources to worthy causes.
Every mobilisation costs money: from fueling cars to hiring tents and security at the Thanksgiving rallies. This money could be channelled to other urgent needs, such as drought response. The drought situation remains critical in 22 out of the 23 arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) in Kenya, and the government should put in measures to mitigate the situation.
On the other hand, the opposition can also channel the resources they are using to mobilise “court of public opinion” rallies towards lobbying and the crafting of policies that safeguard future elections, such as the acquisition of a fool-proof blockchain-backed voting system and the anchoring of a funded office for the official leader of the opposition in the Kenyan constitution. These changes can be realised by sponsoring motions through elected members of parliament.
Justice delayed is justice denied, and whoever seeks equity must do so with clean hands.
The opposition leader, Mr. Raila Odinga, should present evidence of the rigging allegations to the courts for redress instead of engaging youths in political rallies barely six months after the declaration of presidential results and subsequent ruling by the Supreme Court on the contestation of the declared results. Such a move would set a precedent in the justice system. He should not deny legal minds and enthusiasts the determination the court would make.
One’s rights should not interfere with the rights of others. Such opposition rallies have not been peaceful and have caused business disruptions, as business owners prefer to close their businesses to avoid looting by demonstrators. With citizens going through tough economic times, demonstrations would only make things worse. As the opposition leader pursues justice, he should not interfere with the rights of other Kenyans. He can’t have his cake and eat it.
The leader of the opposition should also execute his mandate as the watchdog over the current administration and keep the current government in check, especially in light of its promises to Kenyans.
Allow appointed leaders and government agencies to do their work.
The president should allow state agencies such as the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to do their work without political interference. The Kenya Revenue Authority has the framework and manpower to combat tax evasion and avoidance, and the president should have faith in government agencies to carry out their responsibilities.
Every citizen should pay taxes and deserve quality services from the government through the collected taxes. However, claims by President Ruto that the former president, Uhuru Kenyatta, and his family were not paying taxes were ill-informed. President Ruto should allow KRA and investigating agencies to do their work. His direct attack and utterances may be perceived as a malicious witch hunt against his former boss, who did not support his presidential ambitions.
Furthermore, the president should accept the fact that he is in charge of the country, and a king at that. He has a team, such as the state house spokesperson and the government spokesperson, who can communicate only what needs to be communicated. Instead of responding to every Tom, Dick, and Harry, he should be busy with his cabinet, crafting strategies and policies that will turn around the social, political, and economic well-being of Kenya. Delegating is a strength, not a weakness. The chairperson of the Council of Governors, Anne Waiguru, has previously advised the president on letting his “foot soldiers” do the talking.
Develop all regions equally.
Our democracy needs to mature. Successive governments should develop all regions equally, regardless of how their people vote. A handshake was not necessary to develop Raila’s roots (in the Nyanza region). Recently elected opposition leaders are free to align with the government of the day, but this should not be a prerequisite to having the government support projects in their constituencies. President Ruto’s government must serve all Kenyans equally.
When all is said and done,
The opposition deserves to be heard through the right channels should they have evidence of their “stolen victory,” otherwise they should stop treating Kenyans to the usual circus on claims of election rigging. President Ruto also needs to focus on positioning Kenya on a path of economic recovery, ensuring the success of the competency-based education curriculum, creating job opportunities for jobless Kenyans, and spearheading the restoration of peace in the regions experiencing cattle rustling and banditry.
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This article expresses the views and opinions of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of Qiraat Africa and its editors.
